Zach Wahls

Good evening Mr. Chairman, my name is Zach Wahls. I’m a sixth-generation Iowan and an engineering student at the University of Iowa, and I was raised by two women. My biological mother Terry told her parents that she was pregnant, that the artificial insemination had worked, and they wouldn’t even acknowledge it. It actually wasn’t until I was born and they succumbed to my infantile cuteness that they broke down and told her that they were thrilled to have another grandson. Unfortunately, neither of them would live to see her marry her partner Jackie, of fifteen years, when they wed in 2009. My younger sister and only sibling was born in 1994. We actually have the same anonymous donor, so we’re full siblings, which is really cool for me. I guess the point is that my family really isn’t so different from any other Iowa family. When I’m home, we go to church together. We eat dinner, we go on vacations. But, we have our hard times too; we get in fights. My mom, Terry, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000. It is a devastating disease that put her in a wheelchair, so you know, we’ve had our struggles. But we’re Iowans. We don’t expect anyone to solve our problems for us. We’ll fight our own battles. We just hope for equal and fair treatment from our government.

Being a student at the University of Iowa, the topic of same sex marriage comes up quite frequently in class discussions. The question always comes down to, “Can gays even raise kids?” And the conversation gets quiet for a moment, because most people don’t really have an answer. And then I raise my hand and say, “Well actually, I was raised by a gay couple, and I’m doing pretty well.” I score in the 99th percentile on the ACT. I’m an Eagle Scout. I own and operate my own small business. If I was your son, Mr. Chairman, I believe I’d make you very proud. I’m not so different from any of your children. My family really isn’t so different from yours. After all, your family doesn’t derive its sense of worth from being told by the state, “You’re married, congratulations!” The sense of family comes from the commitment we make to each other to work through the hard times so we can enjoy the good ones. It comes from the love that binds us. That’s what makes a family.

So what you’re voting for here is not to change us. It’s not to change our families, it’s to change how the law views us, how the law treats us. You are voting for the first time in the history of our state to codify discrimination into our constitution, a constitution that but for the proposed amendment is the least amended constitution in the United States of America. You are telling Iowans, “Some among you are second-class citizens who do not have the right to marry the person you love.” So will this vote affect my family? Would it affect yours? In the next two hours, I’m sure we’re going to hear a lot of testimony about how damaging having gay parents is on kids. But not once have I ever been confronted by an individual who realized independently that I was raised by a gay couple. And you know why? Because the sexual orientation of my parents has had zero impact on the content of my character.

General Purpose: Persuade

Specific Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to persuade the audience to   regularly ride a bicycle.

Thesis Statement: Riding a bicycle has many positive environmental, health, and economic benefits.

Organizational Pattern: Topical

I want you all to imagine a product that will make you lose weight fast, all while saving the environment and paying for itself in the process. How great would that be? Such a product exists, and it’s been around for many years. It is a bicycle.  The purpose of this presentation is to persuade the audience to   regularly ride a bicycle. Riding a bicycle has many positive environmental, health, and economic benefits.

As a college student like you, I was searching for ways to save money.  I also wanted to lose some of the weight I had gained since beginning school.  Eventually, through research and then actual experience, I realized that riding a bike was an answer.  The fact that it also helps the environment was an added bonus.

The number of people commuting by bike increased 60% in recent years.  Additionally, more cities are incorporating special bike lanes to provide space for the growing population of bike riders (Copeland, 2014). 

This speech is your opportunity to discover how to help the environment, reduce rising obesity and heart health trends, and save money.  Accordingly, in what follows, we will discuss the following three benefits of riding a bike:  (1) environmental, (2) health, and (3) economic.

One reason to ride a bicycle is environmental friendliness. Bicycles have a much smaller effect on the environment than most other forms of transportation. According to National Geographic in 2016, if everyone who lived within five miles of their workplace commuted via bicycle one day a week, it would have the environmental impact of taking of taking one million cars off the road entirely. When examining “equivalent carbon dioxide per kilometer miles traveled per passenger”, a unit of measurement for total environmental impact of forms of transportation, bicycles are significantly less impactful producing 5 grams CO2e/ km traveled, compared to a car at 271 grams. This is according to a 2016 report by the European Cyclists Federation which explored several European environmental impact studies.

Another reason everyone should ride a bicycle is the positive impact doing so can have on a person’s health. Riding a bicycle is a terrific source of cardiovascular, and to a lesser degree, resistance exercise. Regular exercise, which is easily accomplished on a bicycle, keeps one fit and healthy.  Bicycle riding can help to reduce America’s growing health issues. According to The New York Times (2015), as of 2014, 38% of Americans were obese—up from 35% in 2011 and 2012.  Just about everyone knows obesity is related to many significant health threats, such as heart disease, stroke, and type two diabetes; yet facing weight loss and starting an exercise habit can be challenging for people. However, it may be encouraging for those same people to know that one does not need to spend their entire morning or afternoon cycling to enjoy improvements in health. A 2012 study by Rosenkilde et al. published in the American Journal of Physiology found as few as 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise (something a bicycle commute to work or errand would likely accomplish) was just as (and in some cases more) effective for weight loss and physical fitness as 60 minutes of daily high-intensity exercise.  Perhaps most enticing, riding a bicycle is fun, which may help people who otherwise dislike exercising, do so anyway. Many people rode bicycles as kids before they even knew what exercise was!

Bicycles clearly have some health benefits for both the earth’s ecosystem, and the system of your body. Now I will discuss some of their economic benefits.  The most relatable reason to ride a bicycle for most people comes down to cost. Personal economic benefits are usually the most relatable, but larger-scale economic reasons also demonstrate the importance of bicycles. When talking about the economic benefits of bicycles, one usually considers their cost in comparison to auto ownership, which usually costs thousands of dollars a year in gas, insurance, and maintenance, not to mention the price of the car itself. These are valuable considerations and account for why many people should chose bicycle ownership instead of a car. Why spend thousands if you do not have to?

As we begin to wrap up our discussion, I want to stress that riding a bicycle has many positive environmental, health, and economic benefits.  Bicycles are great for the atmosphere and help to reduce CO2 levels that threaten the wellbeing of life on Earth. They can help people stay healthy and fit in a fun way. They are economical for both individuals and the communities in which they live.

With these benefits, who would not want to ride a bicycle?  As college student, though, it is even more important for use to consider the environment while also considering our health and finances.  I urge you all to start riding a bicycle on a regular basis.

Some of you have memories from your childhoods of riding a bicycle for the first time. Remember the feeling of pushing the pedals and seeing the surroundings fly past you? Imagine that feeling again, unencumbered by sheet metal, engine noise, or seatbelts with the wind in your hair (but please, seriously, wear a helmet!) That feeling is something most never forget, and can be with your again, so give it a shot—it is just like getting back on a bicycle … because that is exactly what you would be doing!  

References

Copeland, L.  (2014).  Biking to work increases 60% in past decade.  USA Today.  Retrived from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/08/bike-commuting-popu...

European Cyclists Federation (2016). Cycle more often 2 cool down the planet: Quantifying CO2 savings of cycling. European Cyclists Federation. Retrieved from: https://ecf.com/sites/ecf.com/files/co2%20study.pdf

National Geographic (2016) Bike environmental impact. National Geographic Retrieved from: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/buying...

Rosenkilde, M., Auerbach, P., Reichkendler, M. H., Ploug, T., Stallknecht, B. M., & Sjödin, A. (2012). Body fat loss and compensatory mechanisms in response to different doses of aerobic exercise—a randomized controlled trial in overweight sedentary males. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 303(6), R571-R579.

General Purpose: Inform

Specific Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to inform community stakeholders of processes used and elements considered to arrive at annual budget figures which requires a new monthly HOA fee.

Thesis Statement: Various budgetary options were considered before arriving at the final option.

Organizational Pattern: Elimination

Greetings, and thank you for coming to the Annual Budget Meeting.  As you know, community bylaws require the Board of Directors to announce proposed budgets and related Home Owners Association (HOA) fee increases 90 days before implementation. Today’s meeting is to ensure you are fully aware of the processes employed and elements closely considered as we worked to arrive at the proposed figures for the upcoming year. Additionally, you will be advised of the new monthly fee.

As most of you know, I am Bea Wentworth, president of The Oaks Home Owner’s Association and a homeowner just like all of you. Others in involved in this process include Ray Walker, vice president; Loren Hall, secretary; Zerin Acker, treasurer; and at-large members Steve Scop, Shae Guy, and Feder Mehmet. Community vendors—such as the management company, landscaping and snow removal contractor, and insurance agent—were also consulted as needed.

During our intense decision-making process, several factors had to be considered. Specifically, we examined current and projected monthly expenses, debt loads, reserve account funding requirements, and cost of service increases as noted by current contractors. Other factors were considered as well. Each was reviewed with what is best for The Oaks HOA in mind.  Ultimately, we feel we have selected an option that best meet this prerequisite.

Prior to announcing the new budget and monthly fee, the board wanted to review the various options considered to make our final choice. There were six options considered, and each will be discussed at this time.

The first option considered was processing liens and seeking garnishments against the 58 homeowners in arrears. Right now, our fiscal reports show delinquencies totaling $84,853.75. The board quickly realized this was not a good choice because any funds collected would not become available as immediately as needed and because we would incur new costs because our attorney would charge service and appearance fees that cannot be reimbursed when we win litigation.

The second option considered was issuing a one-time special assessment of $900 per unit to cover our financial needs.  The idea of requiring this additional payment was soon eliminated because the high percentage of homeowners with account balances means we would not be able to collect all that is needed. Additionally, this idea was put aside because it is unfair to those who remain current with dues.

The third option considered was an increase in monthly fees. This, however, meant there would need to be a significant increase, one amounting to $405 per home, since 58% of homeowners have not been paying as required. This unfair and costly option, which would encumber even more homeowners with debt, was also eliminated.

The fourth option deliberated was removing one of the largest and most often argued lines—property management expenses. Removing this $25,000 fee would definitely save money. However, it would also violate our current bylaws and require additional policies be enacted. Since bylaw rewriting, jurisdictional approval, and policy enactment would be a lengthy process, we knew this notion had to be eliminated.

The fifth option considered was removing and reducing line items for infrequent and obsolete services such as mailing, printing, and office supplies. This plan was dismissed once we realized it would not yield adequate funding.

The sixth and final option considered, one which best meets our needs, is multifaceted. It involves reasonably reducing and removing line items, increasing monthly HOA fees by 3%, and instituting an amnesty repayment plan for homeowners in arrears. The latter portion of this plan allows debtors to do direct-to-HOA payments for past due assessments, would help bring account holders current, and would remove 50% of attorney fees previously charged to affected accounts if balances are fully paid before May 1. This, in turn, could increase the amount we have for immediate use and in reserves by the second quarter of the next fiscal year.

Now, for the bottom line: The selected method will raise current HOA dues from $291 to a new monthly rate of $300 to cover all expenses. As per usual, current homeowners will have access to our pool, fitness center, supervised children’s lounge, adult’s lounge, outdoor tennis court, outdoor walking track, golf course, individual unit landscaping services, and concierge services. The due date for assessments remains the first of the month and payments can be made by automatic deduction, via mail, or online.

            As we begin to conclude this presentation, it is important to remember that various budgetary options were considered before arriving at the final option.  Please be advised the board will continue to work on the overall fiscal health of The Oaks as follows: (1) We will process liens and seek garnishments against those in arrears; (2) We will seek out a management company who can meet community needs at a more reasonable rate; (3) We will rewrite community bylaws to address all issues we face then seek attorney review and jurisdictional approval; and (4) We will devise new standard operating procedures allowing for other changes.

As homeowners and community members like you, we remain open to feedback and questions regarding the proposed budget, future fiscal and operation plans, or other community needs. We will be available for questions for one hour directly following this address. You may also contact us via the established email account or Yahoo Group.

As always, the goal of the board is to keep The Oaks a beautiful, well-maintained, and enjoyable community.